Into the Mist. (Avengers FanFiction) Sequel to Away We Go

Chapter 4

*Chapter 4!!! Comments/suggestions/questions are welcomed and encouraged! I hope you enjoy!*

Steve Roger’s a.k.a Captain America’s P.O.V.

“Yes, just us,” I assured the helmsmen, handing him the wad of bills. His eyes widened but he didn’t comment, shoving the money into a crisp pocket of his trousers. He was an elderly man, his glasses sliding down the bridge of his nose, his hair an imitation of an unruly cotton ball. He scratched at his scalp, his sailors cap riding up his forehead as he glanced warily at a very irritated looking Natasha. 

“Alright, Sunny. The boats right down here,” the man said, walking down toward the far end of the marina. I glanced up at the clouds, watching as they rushed by, the scent of rain heavy in the air. Natasha brushed past me, leaving the minuscule town behind without so much as a stray look. 

I followed, slinging the bag higher up on my shoulder. It only held a few bottles of water and the address. It was the bare minimal. She refused to stop and buy anything else.

“Here we are! Old Bessy!” the captain said, gesturing toward the quaint motor boat that was being tossed lightly in the newly developing waves. A storm was definitely rolling in but it didn’t seem to affect the sailor. 

He attempted to help the Widow into the boat but she blatantly ignored his advancement, hopping into the craft with the grace of a spider leaping from a wall.

I followed after, taking a seat across from her in the rear as the captain undid the ties to the dock and entered the cabin. 

“Are you thirsty?” I asked her, a little while after the boat had cleared a patch of rougher waters. We were now halfway to the island, the clouds growing darker the closer we came to our destination. 

She shook her head, staring out at the sea as it churned and whirled around us. The water was so dark it was nearly black. I imagined it to be fathomless. 

“You two youngins’ alright back there?!” the captain yelled, briefly appearing in the door way. 

“Yes sir!” I shouted back, relieved when he once again took to the wheel. 

I let my mind wander back to the hotel room in New York, the purple petunia long since wilted. I couldn’t bring myself to throw it out so I left it there, in the glass of stagnant water. Room service would most likely dispose of it, maybe throw it out of the window into the bushes below. 

A single rain drop startled me from my thoughts, and I squinted up at the sky, blinking rapidly as more drops fell. Thunder boomed in the distance, the ominous clouds moving in from the sea. Just below them, an unerringly still landmass, a beacon in the unrelenting current of the ocean. 

~~~~~~~  

“You two take care!” the old captain shouted, fighting to be heard above the gale force winds. I eyed the small dock apprehensively, watching as it swayed dangerously, groaning and creaking all the while. It lead up to a muddy path, then turned off into undergrowth and steep rocks. The light house was visible above a large rocky hill, but only the very top. It would be a perilous hike to the other side of the small island. 

“Aren’t you going to wait?” Natasha yelled, tying her hair back to keep the curls from obscuring her vision. 

“I was told not to- I mean, the wife is expecting me back. I’ll be fine, dear,” the man said, obviously tripping over his words. Natasha narrowed her eyes at that, watching as the gentleman flashed her a nervous smile before all but throwing himself back into the control room and speeding off with a whir of the engine. 

We said nothing as we started our trek, but we both knew that our suspicions had skyrocketed. Doubt began to wiggle itself into my mind as I pushed on through the torrent pouring down. Was this truly the right thing to do? The man was definitely hiding something, and it didn’t seem like it was something good. 

Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the rocky pathway as tried our best to hurry to the lighthouse without slipping and breaking our skulls open against the boulders. There was hardly any traction on my shoes, and by the time I got to the summit of the hill I had already had seven mini heart attacks from near falls.

I looked out, sighing in relief as I noticed the muddy path picked back up about thirty feet down the incline. The lighthouse was not colossal, but very tall...at least compared to the little cabin that sat beside it. It sat far back from the waters edge, but the wood was still soaked, bits of algae and mold clinging to the base.

Against the darkened wood it was almost impossible to see the figure standing outside one of the windows. It was hard to discern any features through the rain, and it looked as if they were wearing a large, black raincoat anyway. Whoever they were, they were definitely too large to be Calypso and I couldn’t think of anyone (enemies and allies alike) with such a big frame.  Natasha froze in her spot next to me, immediately ducking down. I copied her actions immediately. 

The figure was still and we couldn’t tell if they had spotted us or if they were simply staring at the waves as the collided with deafening roars against the sloping shore. After what felt like an eternity they moved, slipping back into the cabin. A soft light came from within the structure. Candlelight, possibly.  

“It’s a trap, Steve!” Natasha exclaimed, slamming her fist down upon her knee. Her clothes were soaked just as thoroughly as mine and I could feel the cold seeping into my bones. 

My lips clamped tightly together. I refused to believe that. 

Natasha Romanof’s a.k.a Black Widows P.O.V.

I could see in the set of his mouth that he was going down to that cabin no matter what I said. I could do nothing as he suddenly sprang up, and in full stealth mode started ascending the hill of jagged rocks, determination in every step.

I sighed through my nose, staring at a barnacle that rested just beside my boot. I couldn’t let Steve get killed... 

If Calypso did come back, and at this point I was starting to seriously doubt that, I couldn’t have his death on my conscience. But if I went down there and got myself captured as well...

“Dammit!” I snarled, launching myself after him. He was already at the bottom and slowly working his way to the wooden structure. In my haste I slipped several times, scraping my palms and my knees. I hissed as small beads of blood welled to the surface but I pushed on, gun in hand as soon as I met steady ground. 

I wanted to call out to him but I didn’t want to risk raising attention to ourselves. So I sprinted, gasping for breath as I sidled up beside the super soldier. We were now just feet from the cabin, huddled behind a scraggly bush.   

“Plan?” I inquired.

“I break down the door, you go in with the gun raised,” he answered, and I knew that was virtually our only option now. 

“Let’s move, then.”

With a heavy heart I clambered to my feet, right on Steve’s heels as he ran at the door. With a grunt he threw himself against it, the entryway caving instantly.

Steve Roger’s a.k.a Captain America’s P.O.V.

I stumbled in behind the large piece of wood, the new light making me instinctually raise a hand to shield my eyes. 

My mistake. 

A searing pain shot through the back of my skull as I fell heavily to the floor. My head cracked against the ply wood, a warm substance trickling its way across my forehead. Natasha shouted something unintelligible as shots were fired. I felt her step heavily onto my ankle as she tripped, landing with a thud on the floor beside me. She took a swipe at something outside my range of vision, before being restrained. I only had time to see her turn toward me, her eyes wide with pure and utter horror, before my eyes closed and I was gone.